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  Depression is on the rise. A study conducted by the World Health Organization found an increase of 20 percent in depression cases within just a decade. I work on a university campus. One might expect such a place to feel vibrant and energetic, but lately there seems to be more fatigue and malaise. Even for me, on some days it can feel hard to face the world. As a scholar of ancient philosophy and a practicing stoic, I have found great solace in the works of Roman stoic philosophers such as Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome, and Epictetus, teacher of Stoic philosophy and a former slave. What tools do these ancient thinkers offer to deal with depression? Of course, I must add here that clinical depression, which is a serious health issue and should be treated by a professional, is a different matter than the sort of ordinary depression and fatigue that most of us might feel from time to time. What is stoicism? Stoicism is based on the idea that the goal of life is to live in...

  With the increasing swirl of interest around mindfulness, resilience and innovation we can’t forget that there are many who have trodden this path before us with important lessons we can borrow. Stoicism is the branch of ancient western philosophy that focuses on mindfulness, resilience, creativity and more, all of which allows us to flourish and live the good life, achieving eudemonia (translated from Greek as happiness, or human flourishing). The principles have had a profound influence on Western thought, and compared to other schools of philosophy often consumed by intellectual enterprise and endless debate it’s bracingly practical and straightforward. Whilst stoicism hasn’t been popular for a while it’s making a comeback with a strong international following. Whilst it’s seen by some as a western form of Buddhism, helping to overcome destructive emotions, it actually originated in the Greco-Roman Empire. It had three principle leaders: Marcus Aurelius, who wrote ...

  Many people think Stoicism is merely a synonym for "emotionless" or, at most, a dusty ancient-Greek philosophy . While, yes, Stoicism originated with such ancient illuminati as Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius, it's far beyond “emotionless.” And Stoicism is more widely adopted today than one might think: from the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks staff to rapper LL Cool J and broadcaster Michele Tafoya. Plus, Stoicism's devotees have included George Washington, Walt Whitman, Frederick the Great, Eugene Delacroix, Adam Smith, Immanuel Kant, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. What is Stoicism? It asks us to do good while staying calm, to focus on what’s important and under our control, not wasting thoughts let alone time on what we can't affect. Easier said than done, especially with all the modern pressures that beset even successful people. To help, Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman have written the just...